IIT Bhubaneswar Hosts 14th Convocation, Confers Degrees on 802 Students

BHUBANESWAR, April 18, 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar celebrated its 14th Convocation on Saturday, marking a major academic milestone as 802 students were awarded their degrees.

The prestigious ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Prof. V. S. Ramamurthy, Padma Bhushan Awardee, Former Secretary of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, and Former Director of the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar. Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director of IIT Bhubaneswar, presented the Convocation report and formally conferred the degrees upon the graduating batch of 2024-25.

Out of the 802 students who received their degrees, the breakdown includes 96 PhDs (12%), 177 M.Tech (22%), 96 M.Sc (12%), 102 Dual Degrees (13%), and 325 B.Tech (41%) students.

Delivering the Convocation address, Chief Guest Prof. V. S. Ramamurthy urged the young graduates to commit to excellence in every endeavor. Drawing inspiration from the landmark discovery of the Higgs boson, he highlighted how transformative breakthroughs rely on long-term vision, perseverance, and large-scale global collaboration.

“Excellence is not optional, but a commitment—whatever you do, do it well,” Prof. Ramamurthy stated. He underscored India’s rising stature as an equal partner in international scientific missions and called upon institutions like the IITs to adopt the mantra of “cooperation while competing” to advance global research and innovation.

Presenting the Institute’s progress report, Director Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar highlighted IIT Bhubaneswar’s expanding research footprint, robust startup ecosystem, and industry-academia tie-ups.

“The 14th Convocation marks a moment of pride and fulfillment as our students graduate, ready to step into a world that demands both competence and character,” said Prof. Karmalkar. “Having gained knowledge and learned to think critically and innovatively, we are confident they will turn their dreams into real-world impact. Looking ahead, we remain focused on interdisciplinary research, global partnerships, and preparing graduates to lead in a rapidly transforming technological landscape.”

During the ceremony, Prof. Karmalkar also read out a special message on behalf of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Singh, Chairman of the Board of Governors, IIT Bhubaneswar, who could not be present.

The convocation also celebrated academic excellence, with top-performing students receiving prestigious medals and endowment awards:

Top Gold Medalists:

• President of India Gold Medal (Best B.Tech Academic Performance): Shri Varun Varma Jaganath (Mechanical Engineering)
• Director’s Gold Medal (Dual Degree): Ms. Vedanta Mohapatra (Computer Science and Engineering)
• Director’s Gold Medal (M.Tech): Shri Harsh Neel Mani (Computer Science and Engineering)
• Director’s Gold Medal (M.Sc): Ms. Anannya Bhowmik (Chemistry)

Notable Endowment Awards:

• Dr. K. Kasturirangan Award (Best Male Graduate): Shri Varun Varma Jaganath
• Prof. P. Rama Rao Award (Best Lady Graduate): Ms. Adrija Patra
• Dinesh Memorial Award (Best B.Tech Thesis, Mechanical Sciences): Shri Badvelu Pranay Prabha
• B. K. De Memorial Award (Best B.Tech Thesis): Shri Indrayudh Ghosh
• Tejaswi Memorial Award (Best B.Tech Thesis, Electrical & Computer Sciences): Shri Ayush Pratap Singh and Shri Indrayudh Ghosh

Institute Silver Medals were also awarded to top-performing students across various B.Tech, Dual Degree, M.Tech, and M.Sc branches. The event concluded on a high note, celebrating the achievements of the students, faculty, and the institute’s administration.